How three former Leeds university students turned an erotic novel into a global phenomenon

Finding out your dad has been writing erotic fiction is something most of us would probably keep secret.
Left to right: Alice Levine, Jamie Morton and James Cooper.Left to right: Alice Levine, Jamie Morton and James Cooper.
Left to right: Alice Levine, Jamie Morton and James Cooper.

But producer Jamie Morton opted instead to broadcast it to the world, creating a smash-hit podcast in the process.

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Alongside Radio 1 DJ Alice Levine and digital executive James Cooper, friends he met whilst at university in Leeds, Mr Morton decided to read his dad's erotic novels in a podcast, a live version of which aired on HBO in the US on Saturday, May 12.

My Dad Wrote A Porno began in October 2015 and has now been downloaded over 150 million times.

The podcast is based on a series of self-published e-books written by Mr Morton's father,who goes by the pen name Rocky Flintstone.

The series follows the exploits of Belinda Blumenthal who works in the sales and marketing department of a fictional pots and pans company.

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There are currently six books written, four of which have been turned into series of the podcast.

An unlikely hit, each episode sees Mr Morton read a chapter aloud to his two friends, whose reactions provide a comedy commentary.

The writing is part erotic novel part business manual filled with countless gaffes and grammatical errors picked apart by the trio.

The podcast has spawned an actual book which provides comments, games and inside information on the first original book; a live show which has been performed around Britain and across the globe in Australia, New Zealand, Canada and the US; and now a HBO TV special.

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Celebrity fans of My Dad Wrote a Porno include comedian Joe Lycett, musician George Ezra and actors Elijah Wood, Michael Sheen, Stephen Mangan, Nicholas Hoult, Daisy Ridley and Emma Thompson, all of whom have appeared on spin-off episodes, called The Footnotes.

The TV special is adapted from the live show and includes a 'lost chapter' that has not yet been heard.

UK fans can catch it on Sky Atlantic on May 16 at 10pm.